Fitbit lost their mind?

[Crazyraceguy]

Or maybe it's Google?
I've been a cyclist for years, commuting to work for many of them and recreational otherwise. I've been using a Garmin to track miles, cadence, fitness in general. After some medical issues, I just got back into it earlier in the spring. I recently go myself a Pixel watch, which also tracks steps, stairs, heartrate, etc. After getting it synced to the other apps, it's more complete/comprehensive, but there is a bit of a glitch. I assume it figures steps by the arm swing, since it can't know what your feet are doing.
Enter today's weirdness. I went out riding today, a 15+ mile loop around part of the city. The Garmin was running, the watch was started with the bike icon and everything ran fine. I got home, stopped both devices. Not even 5 minutes in the door, I get a notification on the watch, that it was time to get up and move. Really? you just congratulated me for the ride, but since that doesn't "count" as steps, I wasn't doing enough?
I understand the point of the "nudge", but I have never been still long enough to ever activate it. I have done well over the 10k step goal, nearly every day, since I have had it, but not connected to the other apps yet.
I get it that pedaling is not the same as walking, but it knows my exertion level, distance, etc but why tell me to get up and move?

 

[onocoffee]

Moderator? Congrats! The forum is in good hands,

 

[PaulMarcel]

Moderator? Congrats! The forum is in good hands,

I hadn't noticed; nice New Years surprise!

I am soooo tempted to report his post with "Congratulations!" haha! But the ban hammer and all that...

 

[Packard]

About 6 years ago, the office staff all chipped in and bought our boss a fitness tracker. It talked to his smart phone.

He spent a bit of time figuring out how to set the thing up, then he looked at his phone and left the office. He returned a week later.

Apparently he got some sort of warning message, called his cardiologist and made an emergency visit. His doctor would not let him return to work until his blood pressure was brought under control.

I’ve had a good bit of respect for those gadgets since then.

Note: I have no idea whether it showed up as scary numbers or if it said “Warning!” In either case he suddenly looked pale and made the phone call and left without any explanation. We only found out a few days later when his wife came to the office what it was all about.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I never noticed and was so confused at first by onocoffee's post!

Congrat's CRG!

 

[Michael Kellough]

I never noticed and was so confused at first by onocoffee's post!

Congrat's CRG!

I’m still confused.

 

[PaulMarcel]

I’m still confused.

Look at CRG's profile pic to the left of his post. Now includes the "Forum Moderator" tag. It's unrelated to a FitBit, but Ono noticed it. I scratched my head for a bit reading his reply then noticed.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Ah! Tis a good thing. He can't ride his bike ALL day long. It'll keep him out of trouble.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I hadn't noticed; nice New Years surprise!

I am soooo tempted to report his post with "Congratulations!" haha! But the ban hammer and all that...

I think we could overlook it.....

Thank you BTW

 

[Crazyraceguy]

About 6 years ago, the office staff all chipped in and bought our boss a fitness tracker. It talked to his smart phone.

He spent a bit of time figuring out how to set the thing up, then he looked at his phone and left the office. He returned a week later.

Apparently he got some sort of warning message, called his cardiologist and made an emergency visit. His doctor would not let him return to work until his blood pressure was brought under control.

I’ve had a good bit of respect for those gadgets since then.

Note: I have no idea whether it showed up as scary numbers or if it said “Warning!” In either case he suddenly looked pale and made the phone call and left without any explanation. We only found out a few days later when his wife came to the office what it was all about.

It was likely a warning about Afib, mine can detect that too. These things are very comprehensive, but they cannot detect blood pressure. It's more about pulse, exertion level, the time it takes for your heartrate to return to resting level, etc.

 

[kevinculle]

It is my assumption that fitness tracking apps derive steps by using GPS distance travelled and the step length you enter into the app. I can carry my phone in my hip pocket, shirt pocket, hand or coat pocket and get the same result on the same walk while phone "swinging" varies widely.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Ah! Tis a good thing. He can't ride his bike ALL day long. It'll keep him out of trouble.

I'm trying to get back to that. Maybe not ALL day, but more of it than I have for a while. I used to ride 800 miles a month, with regular 50 mile Wednesdays and Saturdays. I'm trying to get back to it, with the watch as a new insight.
I'm just trying to figure it out. On my walk, the other day, the elevation change apparently was seen as climbing stairs?
It does take additional effort, but it is not the same thing. It must be keeping track at all times though. My front porch is about 1/2 a flight, so it seems to hold onto that, until I do it more than once. I don't take anything is says as 100%, but it is at least a measurement. Consistency is all I really care about.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

It is my assumption that fitness tracking apps derive steps by using GPS distance travelled and the step length you enter into the app. I can carry my phone in my hip pocket, shirt pocket, hand or coat pocket and get the same result on the same walk while phone "swinging" varies widely.

That's what I am getting at. It displays "steps" as a count, but it also records "distance" separately, so it can't be figuring the steps by the known distance? It knows I was moving, on the bike, but those weren't steps. My Garmin counts total pedal strokes but doesn't display them "live." It just shows the current RPM.
I can understand the differences, you can't coast while walking, etc.
My confusion was the nudge to move. Apparently, if I'm not getting up and walking once in a while, I'm doing nothing?
Cycling was moving and I just climbed 1/2 a set of stairs, then I need to move? It's not like it has to figure it out, I told it I was doing that.
The walking is another one. Since it is tracking steps all the time, somewhere along the line it eventually sees the difference of "walking" as a specific task. It did this to me a few days ago. I didn't "start" a walk, and after a while it alerted asking me if I was taking a walk. It recorded this as a specific exercise period, which it can as cycling too, but still warns about "not enough steps"?

 

[Steve1]

My phone tracks my steps via the "Samsung Health" app.

I can tell it that I am cycling now, but I just leave it at the default setting and it thinks I am walking when I am really cycling.
Better for me to have just one number to look at.
I figure it is somewhat under-counting my exercise when I cycle, but still, I prefer to have only one number to look at.

And best of all, it doesn't nag at me if I don't do all my steps.

 

[RustE]

[snip]
I get it that pedaling is not the same as walking, but it knows my exertion level, distance, etc but why tell me to get up and move?

It was upset that you had not yet posted the ride on Strava.

And how are you staying warm? Temperatures up here are in the mid 20’s.

 

[Vtshopdog]

I have mixed feelings regarding fitness monitors. Started with a Polar heart rate monitor in the late 80's and have continually used some sort of device since then. Having all the metrics tracked can be very useful but the device can create sort of a prison or lead one to chase numbers instead of simply enjoying activities.
Using my first Garmin wristwatch for XC ski racing about 15 years ago was super helpful post race to reveal exactly where I might have blundered and gone too hard, ultimately slowing down. Very useful feedback and a great tool.
On the flip side (in same era) briefly began to wear it alpine skiing. Turned into madness chasing top speed and I found myself first tucking runs then digging through my closet for more aerodynamic clothing as it's hard to go much faster than mid-upper 50's in regular clothing. After a few more weeks of this stupidity had an epiphany while reviewing my new top speed that the device had created an obsession that likely would end (very) badly. Put away the aero clothing and stopped wearing it on the chairlift.
Still use an HRM but just for interval training....

YMMV

 

[peter halle]

I couple of years ago we received a package via FEDEX from Apple and I had two sign for it. It was addressed to my wife, so I took it to her. She was puzzled, opened it up and it was an Apple watch. She was confused because neither one of us ordered it. It turned out that someone had hacked her credit card, ordered stuff for themselves and then sent her a thank you gift charged bogusly to her own credit card. After dealing with the credit card company I returned the watch, but bought myself one. Stopped wearing it because the the fitness aspects were just silly. Wax a truck and you've walked a bazillion steps. Go up and down the stairs numerous times carrying things and you wouldn't get credit. Look unimpressive in the watch drawer now.

Peter

 

[Packard]

I couple of years ago we received a package via FEDEX from Apple and I had two sign for it. It was addressed to my wife, so I took it to her. She was puzzled, opened it up and it was an Apple watch. She was confused because neither one of us ordered it. It turned out that someone had hacked her credit card, ordered stuff for themselves and then sent her a thank you gift charged bogusly to her own credit card. After dealing with the credit card company I returned the watch, but bought myself one. Stopped wearing it because the the fitness aspects were just silly. Wax a truck and you've walked a bazillion steps. Go up and down the stairs numerous times carrying things and you wouldn't get credit. Look unimpressive in the watch drawer now.

Peter

Imagine what using a Sawzall would log. Or a pneumatic drill?

 

[Crazyraceguy]

It was upset that you had not yet posted the ride on Strava.

And how are you staying warm? Temperatures up here are in the mid 20’s.

I just never have, not really a reason for it? I guess I didn't really think anyone would know or care?
When it's in the teens-low 20s, I would really prefer to walk, rather than ride, especially when it is windy. Once it's into the upper 20s or above, it is no big deal. I have a cycling specific jacket/pants set, but I really only wear the pants when it's really bad. That usually means riding with a group, where I don't want to be the one who backs out
I haven't ridden with those guys for a while, for reasons above. Ordinary sweats or leggings are good enough in the 20s.
Shoe covers or even the winter riding shoes, when it's really cold, but I haven't needed them yet this season. At my age, and frankly current fitness level, I would pass if it's that bad.
Once it hits 30, I can just use a fleece-lined flannel shirt, same pants. Above 40, shorts like the rest of the time. I'm one of those complete nut-jobs who wears shorts year-round.

I have mixed feelings regarding fitness monitors. Started with a Polar heart rate monitor in the late 80's and have continually used some sort of device since then. Having all the metrics tracked can be very useful but the device can create sort of a prison or lead one to chase numbers instead of simply enjoying activities.

Still use an HRM but just for interval training....

YMMV

I know what you mean. I have been cycling with a Garmin for years. I have always paid more attention to Strava than Garmin Connect, because it runs timed segments live. You get a warning that one is coming up, if you choose to go for it, but just as easily ignored. I run different profiles on different bikes and ride them accordingly. Years ago, I did chase speed/times, but only on the road bike. The others are just for workouts or trail riding, exploring, though I'm not so great as a mountain biker.
I don't even run a cadence sensor on all of them. I ran a chest-mounted heartrate monitor, for a while, but it is more hassle than it's worth and nowhere near as comprehensive as the newer tech.

Stopped wearing it because the fitness aspects were just silly. Wax a truck and you've walked a bazillion steps. Go up and down the stairs numerous times carrying things and you wouldn't get credit. Look unimpressive in the watch drawer now.

Peter

Apparently, they have advanced beyond that now. Mine doesn't seem to care about arm movement, unless the GPS sees actual body movement too. The stairs work ok too. I have gone up carrying and not, counts the same. The only oddity I have seen with that is when walking up a hill. It counts that as stairs, probably because there is movement and elevation change? I'm fine with that, there is extra effort involved.

Imagine what using a Sawzall would log. Or a pneumatic drill?

I would hope that it could withstand that, but I would probably take it off before something that intense.